


Amaryllis

by sarurin



Series: OiYama Week 2016 [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Language of Flowers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 04:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6597121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarurin/pseuds/sarurin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the young prince, he wasn’t allowed to play with the boy that was always working in the garden. They lived in completely different worlds, but Tooru didn't care about that. He loved his best friend dearly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Amaryllis

The first flower he gave him was an amaryllis.

He had run away from his lessons again, crying and yelling that he was tired of everything they were forcing him to learn. He didn’t care about playing the piano or knowing the family hierarchy, but he was a prince. He was expected to act, to behave in certain ways. He was expected to set an example, but he was annoyed by it all.

He went to the vast garden for the first time alone and hid behind a bush to pour his heart out, to wonder why his parents didn’t listen to him. They were always so busy with other things that they never had time for him at all. The servants took care of him, but that was their job. That’s what they were suppose to do. He didn’t think their sweet words or gestures were meaningful. He was a child, barely eight years old, but he wasn’t naive. He knew how it worked.

Sniffling, he wiped his nose with his sleeve and tried to calm himself down a little. He knew everyone was probably looking for him like crazy, but he didn’t want to go back. Instead, he wished he could run away from everything that he was. Most of his instructors told him he was fortunate since he was the first son of the King. He was guaranteed a prosperous life, a grand kingdom with great riches. They told him he would get used to the idea once he was older, but he greatly doubted it.

Tooru sat down on the ground and buried his head in his knees, letting his fine clothing get dirty. Then, he heard silent footsteps coming in his direction. He thought one of the servants had found him, so he didn’t think twice about running somewhere else.  

However, he was suddenly met with a pair of brown eyes. He wasn’t much younger than he was, probably five or six at most. He approached him slowly, but his appearance made him nervous. He had never seen anyone like him before. His hands were covered with dirt, outlining the cuts and scratches that extended down from his arms. His clothes were completely worn out and excessively big. He wondered if that was the reason why he looked so thin and small. It almost seemed like he hadn’t eaten in days.

“Why are you crying? Are you hurt?” He cleared his throat with a cough before he sat in front of him, looking at him with curious eyes. He was probably inspecting him in the same way he had done. He was probably just as confused and at awe by his strange presence.

Either way, he didn’t want him there and told him to go away before he was found. “I don’t want to go back there anymore, so leave me alone. They are so strict and they never let me have any fun. It’s always rules, rules, rules. Do this and do that. I hate it. I’m tired of it.”

The boy didn’t say anything and got up right after. Tooru thought he was finally going to leave, but instead, he returned with a flower that he didn’t know about. He handed it to him, but Tooru was reluctant to accept it. He didn’t get what his intentions were. He was skeptical, but the smile on the boy’s face eased his worries away.

“It’s an Amaryllis. They symbolize splendid beauty. That’s what my mother told me and there's even a legend that goes with it.” He inched the flower closer until Tooru finally took it in his hand. It was bright red and it was indeed beautiful, but that wasn’t what the young boy was referring too. “I think it suits you perfectly.”

 

Tooru wondered about that boy from that moment on, so one particular evening as the sun was setting, he ran off once again and headed toward the garden. He was suppose to get ready for dinner, but he wanted to meet with that boy one more time. When he reached the garden, he looked all over him.

However, he had no idea where to find him really. He didn’t even know his name, so he couldn’t call him either. He stayed there for a few minutes and hoped he would magically appear again. He was about to lose hope when he saw him running in his direction.

“You’re not crying this time. That’s good!” Tooru felt his cheeks light up with embarrassment, but didn’t deny that the boy had seen him in one of his worst moments. “Are you lost again? Did you run away from the castle?”

“No, I just...wanted to…” Tooru didn’t know what to say without sounding weird. He couldn’t say that he wanted to meet him again because he was curious, because he was intrigued by the tiny freckles that were scattered all over his face.

He didn’t have to explain himself thankfully. The boy immediately introduced himself like if they were already on familiar terms. “I’m Tadashi and my mother works in the garden. She’s teaching me all sorts of things even though she got mad at me the other day for cutting the flower that I gave you. She hates it when I do that.”

Tadashi laughed and scratched the back his head nervously, but he continued to talk to him normally. There was no formality. There was no embarrassment or excessive respect. He was normal around him despite their differences in status. That was probably what he liked the most since the beginning. Unlike him, he still had his child innocence.

“You’re the prince, right?”

“Tooru. Just call me Tooru.” His eyes widen with surprise, but nodded obediently. Then, out of nowhere, he grabbed his hand and started pulling him deeper into the garden. He would have been horrified if it had been any other person, but for some reason, Tadashi brought him a comfortable feeling that he had never felt before. 

He stopped when they stood in front a row of yellow flowers that he had seen pictures of in books. Tadashi looked around and picked out the best one he could find. Then, he smiled mischievously and handed it to him. “My mother is going to get mad at me for cutting the flowers again. She’s very observant about these things.”

“Why are you giving them to me?” Tooru wondered as he stared at the flower in his hand. He didn’t understand, but it made him happy and he was probably smiling sincerely for the first time. He didn’t have to force it out like he would during parties.

“Oh, they’re daffodils and they represent new beginnings and eternal life. I think they suit you too.” He was probably speaking from knowledge he had learned from his mother, but he seemed proud of it regardless. “A bunch of daffodils mean joy and happiness, but I can’t pull all of them out.”

 

Winter soon came and along with it came snow. Most of the plants in the garden had wilted away which brought Tadashi a lot of sadness. He would stand in the middle of the white blanket and look around for a sign of green life anywhere. Tooru watched him from afar, deciding whether or not to approach him.

One particular day, he couldn't fight back the urge to go with him. Tadashi was shivering. He could easily tell, so he decided to take off his coat to give it to him. He placed it over his shoulders, startling him and causing him to jump.

“You’re going to catch a cold. You should go home. There’s nothing much for you to do here.” Tadashi liked the warmth of the clothing and pulled it closer toward his body. He would gladly walk him home, but he had no idea where he lived. In fact, he knew very little of the boy that he suddenly felt so destined to protect.

“I’m sorry I don’t have a new flower to show you today.” He responded and Tooru could only smile, patting his head. Tadashi took a couple of steps forward before he bent down to pick something up from the ground. He stayed there for the longest time and naturally, he was inclined to see what he was doing.

He tried get a peek from the side of his shoulder, but he couldn’t see anything. He got closer and the next thing he knew, a ball of snow had been thrown at his face. He was caught completely off guard and fell back from surprise. Tadashi burst out laughing. He couldn’t get a hold of himself, but he was still trying to figure out what had happened. He stood back up, dusting some of the cold snow off his hair and body.

“What was that for, Tadashi?” He asked him, confused and stunned he would even dare. He was the prince. No one had ever done such a thing to him.

“It’s called a snowball fight and it’s a game they play in the village all the time. It’s fun, isn’t it?” He asked him, but he wasn’t given the chance to answer. Another snowball was thrown toward him, but unlike before, he was able to dodge it.

It was his turn and he copied Tadashi’s movements. Before they new it, they laughing and tossing snowballs at each other for what seemed like hours. When the freckled boy finally surrendered, he dropped himself on the ground and made a strange shape on the snow with his body. He swung his legs and arms in the most particular ways. Tooru wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he wanted to try it too.

“What is that suppose to be? I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that in books?”

“It’s called a snow angel.”

 

Tooru, already eleven years old, would be lying if he said he wasn’t intrigued by the peasant boy that worked in the garden. He thought about him often for some reason and it was starting to affect his lessons. His philosophy teacher was the first one to notice.

“Prince, you’re not paying attention. Please focus. If you don’t mind, I’m trying to describe Aristotle's most known work. I would appreciate it if you would please listen.”

Tooru rolled his eyes and continued to look out the window, towards the bright garden since spring had finally arrived. He wondered if Tadashi was there. He didn’t mean to deviate from the subject that was being taught, but he couldn’t help himself. “Hey, what does it mean to have a friend?”

“A friend? Where on Earth did you get that nonsense from? Honestly, if you’re not willing to listen, then I’m not going to bother explaining matters that will in no way benefit you when you’ve taken the throne.” The man closed the book he was reading and tossed in front of his desk. Tooru didn’t mean to, but he snarled at him angrily. “Read it yourself and want the first few pages recited and memorized. Is that understood?”

The man stepped out of the room and Tooru unconsciously mimicked him. Instead, of picking up the book like he should have, he went to the window sill and looked outside. He wished he could be out there, but he couldn’t even if he wanted to. There were still many lessons and assignments he needed to get through before he was finished. Already, though, he wanted to see Tadashi and play with him again, talk with him once more.

Later that day, Tooru was finally able to get to the garden without being seen.

“Tadashi, what does it mean to you to have a friend?” He asked him as he watched him cut the thorns of some of the roses that were, eventually, going to head to the castle. They were probably going to be placed in the extravagant vases that adorned the dark and creepy halls that were so dead of color.

“A friend? That would be someone that you like spending time with. Someone that listens to you and plays with you and helps you when you are feeling sad.” Tadashi explained which was probably another definition he had gotten from his mother. While he hadn’t met her personally, Tooru knew a lot about her from his conversations with the freckled boy.

“I think of you as my friend. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, definitely.” Tooru had been pondering the question for that precise reason. He didn’t want to keep referring to Tadashi as the peasant boy he wanted to protect. He already saw him as a friend.

He wanted to help out with Tadashi’s task, so he walked over to him. He grabbed a rose from the stem, making sure he didn’t prick himself. He got a spare knife that was laying about and tried to cut them off.

The problem was that he had never held a knife in his life. He wasn’t sure what he was doing at all, so instead of cutting the thorns off the, he ended up hurting his finger. Tooru yelped in pain since he had never felt something so sharp before.

Tadashi panicked when he saw blood trickling down his skin. He almost yelled louder than he did. He quickly cut a piece of his clothing, but before he wrapped it up, he took his finger and licked it. Tooru felt his face flush red and he wanted to pull his hand away immediately.

“What are you doing?!”

“This is the fastest way to heal a wound.” He told him seriously without thinking much about it. Naturally, his hands were much more scarred up than his, but that wasn’t even the issue anymore. His heart was strangely racing at the gesture. “My mom does it all the time.”

Tooru watched him quietly as he skillfully wrapped the piece of torn cloth around his finger tightly. It still stung, but he couldn't complain like he usually did with other scrapes. He would even have to keep it a secret from his parents. They would probably call in a doctor from the the village to examine him for potential infection and diseases. He didn’t want to go through that.

“So, what does the rose symbolize?” He suddenly asked even though it was a bit obvious; even he knew that much, but he still wanted to see what kind of answer Tadashi would give him.

“The rose, depending on color, symbolizes different feelings. For example, white is the color for purity, pink is for gratitude, yellow is friendship, lavender is enchantment.” Tadashi went on and on, naming different colors and what they represented on roses. He stopped listening at some point since he became distracted by his bright eyes.

“Red roses are special, though.”

He grabbed the flower he had dropped earlier because of his injury and skillfully removed the thorns in a matter of seconds. He handed it back to him, but Tooru knew he was giving it to him. He smiled again, not thinking much of his gift, even though he was internally screaming.

“They symbolize love.”

 

He was sitting before his parents and they were lecturing him, scolding him once again for constantly leaving the castle without permission. He rolled his eyes, but that only made the problem worse.

As the young prince, he wasn’t allowed to play with the peasant boy that was always in the garden. They lived in completely different worlds and it was time he stopped acting like a child. He was almost thirteen, but his behavior hadn’t changed much. Still, they didn’t know that he would do it on purpose. He would never listen his parents. He would ignore the long lessons given by his instructors and teachers that would travel great distances to marvel his presence. It drove them crazy.

For the most part, Tooru didn’t care about their differences and he loved his best friend dearly. He liked visiting him, talking with him, and learning about a world that he was often limited from. His parents would blame his wild temperament, telling him that he needed to change if he ever expected to be king. They told his relatives and other worried royalty members that he would eventually outgrow such tendencies with time; that the peasant boy from the garden was just a phase.

Tooru knew his friendship with Tadashi was stronger than that, but he wasn’t going to sit around to argue with the adults about it. He didn’t have to prove anything, so he usually did as he pleased regardless of their warnings. He would run to the garden as soon as his violin lessons were over to see Tadashi, his best friend, the peasant boy that always made him smile.

He never quite understood why his parents always looked down on him and pitied him. They told him that he wasn’t as smart as he was, but really, Tooru found Tadashi intelligent in his own way. He knew how to care for the dozens of plants that surrounded their massive manor. He knew every specie of flowers and what was better, he knew every herb that had, on several occasions, helped him when he was sick.

He would share this knowledge with Tooru and he was fascinated, completely amazed each time. Tadashi always had something new to surprise him and now, it was his turn.

Tooru had spent all day in their library the night before, looking for possible books he could give to Tadashi. He wasn’t sure if he could read, so he made sure to pick the ones that were filled with lots pictures. He choose books that were about plants and flowers, anything that he might be interested in.

He went to the garden that same evening excitedly and looked around for the freckled boy. He found him near the fountain where he was quietly watering the berry bushes. His hands and face were covered with dirt blending in wonderfully with his freckles. He called him out and Tadashi turned to face him. He tried to smile, but there was something off. He quickly noticed it. Tooru quickly hid his the books behind his back, making sure he didn’t see them so he could surprise him.

However, he was completely horrified when he saw that there were tears streaming down his cheeks. Tooru had never seen him that way before and it scared him. It hurt and filled him with a rage he couldn’t quell. He ran toward him quickly, setting the books he brought him aside. He lifted his hands and tried to wipe away the tears that left his mesmerizing eyes with a handkerchief.

“Tadashi? What’s wrong? Did someone hurt you?” His parents were the first people that came to mind, but Tadashi quickly shook his head. Still, he wasn’t answering him quick enough. “Did something happen?”

“My mother...she’s really sick and the doctor doesn’t give much her time.” He started crying again and Tooru did everything he could to comfort the eleven year old. He embraced him tightly, not caring if his expensive attire got dirty. “I’m scared...I don’t know what I’m going to do if she leaves me…”

“How do you know she’s not going to get better? You have to stay positive, Tadashi. The doctor could have be mistaken. You know that happens often.” His friend smiled at his thoughts, but sadly shook his head. “Here. Let me get something really quick.”

Tooru let go of the smaller boy and looked all over the garden for a specific flower. It took him longer than he would have liked, but when he finally found it, he took it and gave it to the crying boy. Tadashi instantly knew what it meant, but he told him anyways. He wanted to show him what he had learned and acquired because of his influence.

“This is a blue iris and it means hope.” He could feel his face turning red since he clearly wasn’t used to such things. Tadashi giggled at his efforts and nodded, impressed that he actually knew that by his own accord. “Everything is going to be okay. You’ll never be alone, no matter what happens because I’m always going to be here to take care of you.”

 

He was sixteen when he first realized that his feelings for Tadashi were changing. He didn’t see him as someone he wanted to protect. He didn’t only see him as a friend. It was deeper than that and it scared him at first. He suddenly had thoughts about kissing his friend. He suddenly had strange dreams that involved him. As a result, he would wake up in the middle of the night almost panting and out of breath. He hated it.

There were just so many things wrong. His mind was being tainted with inappropriate and embarrassing thoughts. Recently, he couldn’t even look at him properly and Tadashi was quick enough to notice. “I don’t know if it’s just me, but for some reason, I get the feeling that you’ve been avoiding me.”

His voice sounded so hurt and it really wasn’t what he was thinking at all. Tooru continued to inspect the garden, pretending to be indifferent to his friend’s words.

“I mean, I understand. I’m sure you’re busier than ever and I am too. Ever since my mother passed away, I’m the one taking care of this entire garden by myself. Not that I mind. I could stay here forever actually.” Tadashi told him honestly as he removed an unknown plant from a pot to place it on the ground. “If you’re embarrassed to be seen next to me, then that’s okay too. I knew you would eventually feel that way.”

“No, I would never be embarrassed of you. Goodness, where did you get such an idea from?” Tooru shook his head and the freckled boy lifted an eyebrow.

It was clear that they had to be sneakier than usual. Their interactions were limited. He was forced to see him less and less with each passing week, month. He couldn’t blame Tadashi for thinking that way. They had been friends as kids, but even that was threatening to change.

Tadashi suddenly placed his hand over his shoulder before he placed a small bunch of flowers in his hand. They were Aster flowers, symbolizing patience. Still, he didn’t know that’s what he least had in that moment. Tadashi was so close and yet, he couldn’t tell him how much he liked him.

 

It was a party, a ball to celebrate his eighteenth birthday. Everyone was excited for it. They had been preparing for the celebration for months. He was finally going to meet his betrothed. The formal engagement was finally going to be announced to the world. It would strengthen their kingdoms, extend their lands, and bring forth a large amount of wealth. His father, the King, saw his marriage as an investment. His mother saw it as an opportunity, but really, it was a complete nightmare.

For one, Tooru didn’t want to get married to someone he didn’t even know. It was maddening and the thought of it frustrated him. Then, he was already in love with someone else. He hadn’t seen him around lately because of the event that was coming up, but that didn’t stop him from thinking about Tadashi. He was always on his mind.

He was in his room, pondering and trying to come up with an excuse to go outside to the garden. All the servants and guards were pretty busy with other things, so he didn’t think they would notice him sneaking out to see him. However, he needed to come up with a good excuse just in case. He got up and paced around when he suddenly heard a knock.

Strangely, they didn’t wait for him to let them in. The door opened and the boy he had been craving to see came to sight.

“Tadashi, what are you doing here? You could get in serious trouble if you're seen, you know?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He stated with a nervous laugh as he stepped in with a small vase of flowers. “I was told to put flowers everywhere...you know, for the celebration. I thought you would be in here and I was right. Anyways, these are for you...for your room, I mean.”

He took them, but Tadashi wouldn’t let go of the vase anyways. Their fingers lightly touched, but he could only confirm what he had suspected before. He couldn’t marry anyone because he was madly in love with Tadashi. He felt an ache in his chest as he stared into his brown eyes, matching his unsteady breathing. There were tears forming in his eyes again, an expression he hadn’t seen on the freckled boy’s face since his mother died so many years ago.

“You’re getting married. That must be exciting.” Tadashi stepped back, realizing the sudden tension that was filling the air. Tooru followed him and his eyes never left his nervous ones. “Pretty soon, you’ll become King and have kids of your own. I wish you a happy life. I just dropped by to say congrats and wish you a happy birthday as well. Also, I want to thank you for everything that you’ve done up to this point for me. Thank you for being my friend.”

He kept walking back, but eventually he ran out of space. His back hit the wall and Tooru was leaning in closely. He wasn’t sure what he was doing by that point, but Tadashi’s words frighten him. It almost sounded like he was going to leave.

Then, he had given him flowers.

“Why? Why are you saying that?” Tooru wasn’t asking for an explanation; he was demanding it. He placed the vase of flowers over the chest box on floor. He grabbed Tadashi’s wrists and continued to insist. “Why are you here really?”

“I came...to say goodbye.” Tadashi exclaimed, trying to push him off. “You’re getting married. You’re going to be King someday and I’m just...the garden boy. That’s all I will ever be, so it’s better if I leave...before I ruin everything…”

“And what? You thought I wouldn’t notice? You thought you could just come here, stir me up, and then leave? Is that what you thought?” He was angry about many things and Tadashi was the source of it all. “Did you think I was going to let you go after you bring me a vase full of red tulips? I might not be as smart or perspective as you are when it comes to flowers, but I do know what they mean, what they symbolize…”

_A declaration of love._

“I’m sorry...your Highness.” Tooru was surprised by his response since he had never called him that before. He unconsciously let him go. The freckled boy took this chance to leave his room. He left him completely torn and possibly desperate.

If only they had been born in another era, then maybe things would have worked out.

 

The ceremony went on as planned and Tooru met the young women he was expected to marry. She was, without a doubt, beautiful and his mother told him that she would make a lovely queen in the future. Still, while her beauty was a sight to behold, Tooru wasn’t happy and he didn’t think he could ever be.

The music continued to play and his future bride, Kiyoko, never left his side. She didn’t seem much happier than he was, but she coped with the situation a bit better than he could. He excused himself a while later and found himself going to the garden, hoping he would be there.

Sure enough, standing by the fountain, he found Tadashi staring at his reflection in the water. He approached him and slightly scared him when he reached to grab his hand. “Tadashi, you can’t leave me.”

“Well, Your Highness, then that’d be awfully selfish of you. I can’t stay and watch you be with someone else. I don’t think...I could handle it well.” Tadashi continued to stare at his reflection and now that he was standing right next to him, he seemed even more upset.

“We’re not meant to be and it’s better if I leave. Imagine what the queen will say if she sees you this way. She’s already forbidden you to see me. She’s threaten me on several occasions to leave you alone.” He amusingly shook his head, placing his hand over his chest as he clutched his shirt with a tight grip. “And I try. I really do try, but I’m completely drawn to you. My eyes, my mind, my heart follow you wherever you go.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. I feel the same way.” Tooru wanted to kiss him. He was so close. Their faces were only inches apart. The desire to touch him kept increasing. “I’m in love with you, Tadashi. I’ve been in love with you since the first day I saw you. I don’t know what I’d do if you don’t stay here with me. I would...do anything for you.”

“It’s not right. This cannot be.” Tadashi turned around to leave, but Tooru embraced him from behind. He wrapped his arms around his shoulders and inhaled his sweet scent of recently cut flowers.

“I found some relatives I’m going to stay with. They’re going to let me help them with their farm and I’m going to make a living that way. My mother is gone...there’s nothing here. There isn’t a reason for me to stay.”

“But I’m here. And didn't you say once that you wanted to stay here forever?”

“And that’s precisely why I need to leave immediately. You’re starting a new life with someone else and I need to do the same thing.” Tadashi was close to crying, but he understood why. He had kept his feelings hidden for so long because he knew he would react that way.

“Tadashi, I can’t lose you. I’ll do anything...anything to keep you by my side.”

“If I told you to run away with me, if I asked you to come with me, would you do it? Would you leave everything behind to follow me? Would you give up the comfort of your castle to live with me in complete poverty?”

Tooru thought about it. He considered it, but the answer was obvious. His people, his kingdom needed him. They depended on him, but he wasn’t the indicated person to rule. Since the beginning, Tooru always wanted to leave the castle and taste what it meant to live, to survive. “You probably wouldn’t know, but I’d give it all up to be with you.”

“What? That’s not-”

“That’s not what you were expecting me to say? You should know by now that I’d follow you anywhere. I’ve been attached to you since I can remember. You’ve been more than my friend. Remember?”

He held his hand and walked over to the patch of amaryllises that were especially being taken care of. Tooru picked one up, avoiding the thick stem, and handed it to the person he loved the most in his entire life. An amaryllis, the symbol of beauty.

“Tadashi, let’s go.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This turned out longer than I expected and then it's kind of late! I'm sorry. I tried and also, I know nothing about flowers, so that was probably reflected in this fic and apologize for that and my mistakes!!
> 
> Still, thank you for reading!!


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